This is Chris Baldwin again, Sugar Salem Moody (SSM) Cemetery board member. I’d like to share a little more of the story of what the board has been doing in digitizing the Cemetery records and updating deed records. As we meet with people, many share with us their stories and ask us questions about what we are doing and why there are so many mistakes. So here is your answer:
We first began this journey of digitizing cemetery records when the owner of MappingHands.org and I met and sorted the data from the records that had previously put into a computer spreadsheet. Mapping Hands is the program that was chosen to help us map, track and document all of the deeded plots in the cemetery. After sorting the data, I took this data and started comparing it to the Books. After finding that many records were not on the spreadsheet we had uploaded, I added many new records into the new database and found others that needed correction or brought up to date. But of course, just having the names of those who is in the cemetery was only half the story. Many overlapping items in the books started showing that I didn’t have all the data I needed to make corrections to the errors that were showing up. I needed to also enter all sale and owner information from past and present deeds to get the entire story of land ownership.
As I started entering deed information into the computer things took an interesting turn. A little background: Deed stubs are a record that remains with the cemetery when we rip out a deed and give it to the owner of the plot they have purchased. Deed stubs are an interesting tool; they are designed to share a story and provide a paper-trail, this trail should be clear and able to be followed. The attached picture below shows a number of colored tabs attached to several of the deed stubs. The stack on the top is pre-2001, the stack on the bottom is years 2001-mid 2024. We are currently working to collect over 200 individual deeds with errors on them.
Each time land is purchased from the cemetery a deed is written, and each time the land changes owners it requires the original record to be updated with a comment. This provides the necessary paper- trail for future record keepers.
I have been through every deed stub we have, and have found several mistakes, questions, missing data, etc. Each of the colored pieces of paper attached to a deed stub represents a type of problem that exists with the deed. Some lack clarity, while some others have missing data that requires the deed to be sent to me to clarity. By sending a photo of your deeds, to ssmcemetery@gmail.com, I am able to use it to clarify the records and fix past problems. Many of these deed stubs are missing information that may lead to a false conclusion and more confusion down the road. We, the cemetery board, wish to resolve all of the deed errors ASAP so that all future burials will be stress free for everyone.
Another part to this story; as we were inputting data, some interesting trends started to show up. It was noticed that the number of deeds that were sold each year was on the rise. Put into graph form, it was calculated that we will run out of current developed land in about 2 years. What many people have not been told is why running out of land is the reason we need to raise the amount we pay in taxes. Let me explain. Current taxes cover half of the cemetery’s basic needs, including paying the sexton and secretary, watering and mowing the lawn, the electricity for the water pump, and general maintenance and repair. The other half comes from the cemetery selling graves. When we no longer have graves to sell, we will still require a sexton and a secretary to help while filling the remaining unused graves. If we do nothing about the amount of taxes we bring in, we will not be able to water, and cemetery grounds will turn ugly quickly. We as a board are currently working on plans to finish developing the southeast corner and north portion of the cemetery. We also plan to replace watering lines that have started to go into disrepair. However, what has been kept out the limelight for so long is that the cemetery doesn’t have the funds to make this happen without help from the taxpayers and voters. Because the levy we tried for in May did not past, there will be a new levy on this next ballot. Voting yes will help our cemetery stay green and survive a few more years. However, eventually we will need to pass the permanent override levy so the cemetery can run only on taxpayer money into future years.